And the Academy Award won't go to...

Joaquin Pheonix.

Now I hate Nova cinema with a passion. Not once have I been there where I haven't had to deal with rude staff, bad seats and poor projection. So it was with some hesitation I accepted an invitation to the opening night of Walk the Line.

I don't know anyone who is a fan of the biopic, I know I avoid them like a plague. I can honestly say I will never see Ray, Chaplin, or even Ghandi. The only exception to my rule has been Ed Wood - which continues to bring me joy.

But I love Joaquin Pheonix. He has the saddest face of any man I've seen. And I can't say I hate Reese Witherspoon, despite her chin and pretty pretty husband.

So I went with an open heart, bad front row seats and sat though a 45 minute set by a blues band doing Cash covers to get the full house in the mood (in true Nova style they left the drum kit in the cinema so during the film we could all hear the snare reverberate).

It's a simple film, well crafted, nicely peppered with a great supporting cast - Robert Patrick is great as the unforgiving father. It's a film full of fantastic music and a respectful telling of a great love story.

But at the centre of all of it is Joaquin and a performance so vulnerable and raw and brilliant it made me weak at the knees. It's so exciting to watch a film when you suspect it is the performance an actor will be remembered for - the best they will ever give us

Think of Kevin Spacey in American Beauty
Think of Edward Norton in Fight Club
Think of Guy Pierce in Memento
Think of Johnny Depp in Dead Man
Think of Christian Bale in American Psycho
you get the idea.

River Phoenix never came close.

Phillip Seymour Hoffman will undoubtedly take the gold man home this year. But you know what? He doesn't deserve it. Why? Because Phillip Seymour Hoffman can act, and does so very well in every thing he's in. He was just doing his job. He just had to turn up.

If I could send Mr Phoenix an academy award I would. Instead I'll see his film three or four times (but not at Nova) - with friends, with mum, with anyone who hasn't seen it and wants to share a popcorn and coke combo (email me!).

Then when I wear out the soundtrack I'll go buy every Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison and Elvis Presley cd I can lay my hands on. A great start to the year.